Androulla Vassiliou

Thank you, Mrs. Geslain-Lanéelle.

First may I say how pleased I am to meet you all today.

As European Commissioner for Health, one of my main priorities is to maintain, and whenever possible to enhance the high level of food safety we have in the European Union and to ensure appropriate reaction to any threats that may arise.

This is achieved largely thanks to the comprehensive body of EU legislation in place, but also thanks to the robust scientific advice of EFSA - to which each and every one of you contribute.

As it is the first time I have had the opportunity to meet you all since I have been appointed, I wish to take today's occasion to emphasize how highly I value the role of EFSA as an essential partner to ensure the safety of the food chain.

The establishment of this Agency responded to the need to boost the Community's capabilities to address the complex scientific issues that lie at the heart of food safety – an issue which concerns each and every one of the EU's citizens.

EFSA is a central scientific component of the new European food safety system. Its establishment marked an important shift in the way the Commission obtains the scientific information it needs before taking important decisions on food safety.

EFSA has introduced a new approach – better equipped to respond to new and emerging risks and to reassess long-term issues in the light of scientific progress and technological development.

It is perhaps a cliché to say that we live in an ever-changing and global world. But cliché or not, it is certainly true that the food supply has become increasingly diverse and poses in the EU new challenges daily.

EFSA must adapt its role as a scientific body in an international context. The global evolution is particularly marked by the fact that food safety is no longer only linked to the control of chemicals and microbiological risks. The scientific support thus necessitates a multi-disciplinary approach and EFSA needs to work together with the other European agencies.

Clearly a sound and harmonious relationship between EFSA and the Commission is also crucial towards achieving the highest standards to which we all aspire.

Interface and interaction is essential at the level of both risk assessment and risk communication. Important mechanisms of cooperation have been established. They should be maintained and reinforced.

The need for a closer cooperation exists however for particularly sensitive issues, as for instance in cases of authorisation dossiers (GMOs, claims, pesticides, additives, food contact materials, etc.) or in cases of generic mandate (cloning, animal health and welfare, biological hazards, contaminants, etc.).

I am pleased that we have the opportunity, during my visit, to have an exchange of views on possible ways to further improve our interaction – and I would like to particularly emphasize the need for an efficient prioritisation of dossiers in certain areas and for a reinforced collaboration in some aspects of risk communication.

I said earlier that EFSA is an essential partner to ensure the safety of the food chain. “Partner” means that a balance must be found between collaboration and independence.

EFSA was created as independent of the European Institutions, of the Member States, of commercial and other stakeholder interest. Sound science must be its one and only master. EFSA's crucial independence makes a major contribution towards bolstering the confidence of consumers in the European food supply.

EFSA is only five years old but already a grown-up Authority widely recognised for its scientific contribution. At the same time, expectations are rising about its capacity to deliver in time, especially in areas where there are legal deadlines.

I am fully aware that you have a heavy workload and that it is not always easy to meet the many requests you receive. However, allow me to share with you my thoughts on possible improvements.

It is quite a challenge for EFSA.

But it is also an opportunity to demonstrate that your organisation, still very young but strong of the expertise and motivation of its staff and supported by the essential contribution of its external scientific experts, can find innovative ways to face this increased workload.

I am confident that EFSA is on a good track in developing new procedures that will give to the Members of its Scientific Committee and Panels more support. They should be able to focus more on complex scientific issues while preparatory work should be more and more externalised to contractors, shared with Member States or performed internally.

We have worked hard together on better planning procedures and priority settings to achieve critical deadlines. This is essential and should be further developed as late scientific opinions may have serious implications.

EFSA's credibility is essential and the objectivity and scientific quality of the opinions are paramount. The cornerstone of the success of EFSA is the quality of the advice it produces. On this point, I cannot emphasise enough the importance of solid science but also conclusive, clear and understandable conclusions.

You must aspire to produce sound scientific advice which does not leave room for doubts or speculation and must be understood by all, especially our citizens who are becoming increasingly concerned about food safety issues.

The clearer and better motivated scientific opinions are, the more they fulfil their primary task to be the basis of risk management decisions.

Before concluding, I think it is important to stress that we all work towards the achievement of the same objective: to ensure the safety of the food chain.

We all have different roles and functions that cannot be confused and must be respected. These differences must not prevent us from achieving the best possible synergy.

You are the hosts to an agency of particular significance and strategic importance; and one which plays a vital role towards ensuring that European citizens enjoy the very highest standards of food safety.

Thank you.